Dera 的作品

CHAPTER 50 Things just felt… off after Victoria left. Nancy sensed it the second she stepped back into the living room. Or maybe it wasn't the house at all. Maybe it was her. She felt… different. Quieter, more deliberate, like she was suddenly hyper-aware of every step she took, every inch of space she occupied. Maya was still lounging on the couch, scrolling through her phone. She looked up when Nancy entered, her brow furrowing almost immediately. “What happened?” she asked. Nancy hesitated for just a moment, then walked past her toward the side table. “Nothing,” she said, but it came out way too fast, too flat. Maya sat up. “Nancy.” Nancy reached for a glass, her fingers tightening around the cold surface, just needing something solid to hold onto. “I said it’s nothing.” “You don’t say ‘nothing’ like that unless it’s actually something.” Nancy let out a small puff of air through her nose and set the glass down, untouched. “I’m fine, Maya.” “You’re not.” The ro

CHAPTER 49 Victoria left right after Andrew did, wasting no time in getting the room back in order. She strode into the lounge where the kids were playing and told them it was time to say their goodbyes. Bending a little, she smoothed Lila’s dress hem and brushed a stray hair from Ethan’s shoulder as he grumbled about wanting “just one more round.” Her movements were sharp, the kind of maternal touch that came from ingrained habit, not a naturally soft heart. “Shoes,” she reminded them. Lila let out a drawn-out groan. “But we just started again…” “Shoes,” Victoria repeated. She didn't raise her voice, but the absolute finality in her tone shut down the argument immediately. Ethan rolled his eyes, though he complied. Maya stood by the wall, arms crossed, watching the scene with a hint of quiet amusement. “You certainly run a tight ship,” she commented. Victoria didn't even glance her way. “Someone has to.” Nancy stayed crouched by the game board, carefully collect

CHAPTER 48 From the lounge, the kids’ voices tumbled out in a chaotic symphony, squabbles over rules, sudden alliances, then peals of laughter. Maya’s dramatic flair would occasionally cut through it all. Nancy stayed with them, naturally. She was settled on the floor, one leg tucked under her, the other stretched out a bit, leaning in conspiratorially as Lila whispered something with the gravity of a state secret. Nancy would let out these soft, unguarded laughs now and then, and the sound carried. Andrew heard it from where he stood, just outside the lounge door. He didn’t move, not at first. He rested a hand on the frame, his gaze fixed on the scene inside, not quite stepping into it. Nancy reached out then, gently adjusting a game piece for Lila. “No, you can’t move it like that,” she said softly. “But I want to win!” Lila protested. Nancy smiled. “Winning isn’t about breaking the rules, sweetie.” Maya scoffed from the other side. “Speak for yourself.” E

CHAPTER 47 The heavy tension that had clung to the air for days hadn’t vanished, but it had softened, losing its sharp edges. Nancy felt it first. It was in the way the air danced through the living room, the curtains stirring gently as a breeze drifted in from the open balcony doors. A faint hum of life was returning to a space that had, for far too long, felt controlled, even stifled. She found herself by the console table, her fingers tracing the cool glass of a vase she didn’t really need to adjust, lingering longer than was strictly necessary. She was thinking, not in a frantic way, but with a quiet awareness. Aware of the morning, of the way Andrew had looked at her, of how neither of them had tried to define what was happening, and yet, everything felt profoundly different. A soft knock broke through her reverie. Before Nancy could even move, James appeared from the hallway. “I’ll get that, Miss Nancy,” he said, his voice gentle. She offered a small nod. “Thank

CHAPTER 46 Andrew had always taken pride in being in control. Every decision was made with precision, every risk carefully considered, every outcome anticipated, contained, and ultimately, overcome. That was his formula for survival, his route to victory. Yet, here he was, lying in bed, staring at the ceiling, painfully aware that for the first time in years, he had no command over what was swirling inside him. His jaw clenched, the silence in the room pressing inward, too still, as if waiting for an answer he didn't have. He shifted against the sheets, his hand brushing the spot where Nancy had been just moments ago. It was still warm. That simple warmth irritated him more than it should have, gnawing at him. With a sharp exhale, Andrew pushed himself up, sitting on the edge of the mattress. His fingers raked through his hair, slower, less purposeful than usual. "This is a mistake," he muttered, the words feeling hollow even as he said them. Because if it really w

CHAPTER 45Nancy stirred first. Not fully awake, just enough to feel the solid, comforting weight of something warm and steady beneath her. Her breath hitched, then stilled. She didn't open her eyes, not yet. She already knew. The warmth. The quiet. The unexpected, deep comfort.Andrew.Her fingers curled almost imperceptibly around his shirt, the fabric surprisingly soft under her touch. She hadn't meant to fall asleep like this, half-draped over him, her head resting against his chest, but somewhere in the night, it had stopped feeling temporary. It felt… right.Slowly, Nancy opened her eyes. The first thing she saw was the gentle rise and fall of his chest beneath her cheek. Then she heard it, his heartbeat. Slow. Even. Alive. A small knot of emotion tightened in her throat. She’d spent so much time watching him from a distance, monitoring symptoms, counting breaths, always making sure he was okay. But this closeness? It felt completely different. It wasn't clinical. It wasn't ca

CHAPTER 14 The warehouse reeked of diesel, rust, and the copper-sweet undertone of old blood. Adrian stepped through the rusted metal doors and felt the temperature drop. Twelve armed men observed him, hands resting on holsters with a casual promise of violence. Silas walked beside him, immaculate in charcoal gray, smiling like he was attending a dinner party. Don Vittorio sat at the far end of the long table, flanked by his men, his face a map of seventy years in a ruthless business. Opposite him, the Morettis—Giovanni, his two sons Julio and Dante, all shared the same sharp jaw and dead eyes. "Gentlemen," Silas spread his hands, "Shall we settle this like civilized men?" Giovanni Moretti laughed, a gravelly sound like a blender full of rocks. "Civilized. That's rich, coming from a man who fed his last partner to dogs." "I've never owned dogs," Silas said calmly, his smile unwavering. "Now. The shipment." Adrian scanned the warehouse, exits, blind spots, and the sniper h

CHAPTER 13Adrian returned to his room, the image of Elena's body refusing to leave his head.He made his way toward the bathroom, shed his clothes, and stepped into the shower. Icy water hit his skin. He stood beneath the spray, hands sliding down to his hardened member.He began stroking himself at a slow pace."Fuck, Elena, suck my dick," he muttered.His hand worked faster, conjuring a vivid image of Elena on her knees before him, her mouth hot and willing.He reached for the body gel on the stand, poured some into his palm, and slicked it over his length.The sensation sent pleasure ripping through him. He threw his head back, eyes rolling toward the ceiling.Images played behind his lids, Elena riding him, him driving into her until she broke apart beneath him.Close to the edge, his hand moved vigorously."Ah, I'm coming, fuck, I'm coming," he groaned, voice loud and raw.He spent himself against the wall and shower glass, pulse after pulse, until his legs shook."Hmm." A groan

CHAPTER 12Elena's hands trembled at her sides. The word hung in the air between them “STRIP” and she couldn't make her lungs work properly."I said strip." Adrian's voice was cold and distant, unlike his usual self. He stood in the center of the smaller room, his shoulders rigid, his jaw set so tight she could see the muscle ticking beneath the skin.She didn't move.Adrian took one step toward her. Then another. Each step is deliberate and controlled. He stopped an arm's length away. Close enough that she could see the flecks of gold in his dark eyes. "You want to defy me again?" His voice dropped to something almost aggressive."Please," she whispered. Her breathing came faster, tears gathering at the rims of her eyes. "I'm begging you. Don't do this to me. I'm sorry.""Elena." Her name in his mouth was a command and a warning. "Strip."Slowly Elena brought her hands toward her shirt and loosened the first three buttons. "Please," she whispered. Adrian stood still and didn’t say

CHAPTER 11: STRIPSilas stopped in the doorway. His gaze swept over the strange girl he'd never seen in all his days coming here."Well." His eyes moved from Elena to the glass in her hand, then to the way she was pressed against the counter like a child caught stealing cookies. "This is interesting.""She's staff," Adrian said. The lie fell flat between them."Was she?" Silas's smile didn't reach his eyes. He stepped into the kitchen, each movement unhurried. "I don't remember your staff dressing differently from their uniform." His gaze fixed on Elena. "And young lady, what's your name?""Elena." The word escaped before she could stop it, her stubbornness overriding her survival instinct once more."Elena." He repeated it, tasting it, his head tilting with the curiosity of a man who had just found a puzzle piece that didn't fit the picture he'd been given. "Is she not the witness girl? And what is she doing in your house? I thought I asked you to take care of her." He directed the q

CHAPTER 10–The UncleElena felt delighted after reading the letter she got from her brother. It felt like all the burden in her mind had been lifted from her.She walked back to her room with lots of joy, joy she herself couldn't explain where it was coming from.She entered her room and threw herself on the bed, her weight sinking into the mattress.I would ask for his permission to visit them someday, she thought. I hope he allows it.She stood up and walked slowly toward the balcony. The fresh air of the night hit her in the face. She spent a few minutes on the balcony before she retired to bed.The sounds of the early morning birds chirping woke her up.She did her morning routine and got dressed to have breakfast."Good morning," she greeted Martha, who was up already, with some of the maids assisting in the kitchen."Good morning, Miss Marcelo. I see you're up early," Martha said, flipping the pancakes over the stove."Yeah. Ohhh, you're making pancakes, my favorite," Elena said

CHAPTER 9Elena walked right into her room, slamming the door hard. "Gosh, I hate that guy. How dare he point a gun at my face? If we were out of this place, I would have reported him to the police. Does he really think I want to be here? If not for my bad habit of always being curious about things, I wouldn't have landed here in the first place. Keeping me locked up like a prisoner." She lamented to herself as she adjusted her weight on the cushion.The room was so silent, she didn't know when she dozed off in the position she was in.The door to the room opened around evening time, jolting her awake from her sleep. Elena expected Mrs. Martha, but it was Marco. He filled the doorway with his shadow."The boss wants you in the dining room," he said."I am not interested," Elena replied, not standing up from where she was seated."I don't care, so will you stand up now and come with me," he said, looking at her like he wanted to make a hole in her body."Fine, whatever. I'm going not